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Los Angeles faces its first Measure HLA lawsuit
A bike on a Los Angeles sidewalk.
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Susanica Tam
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For LAist
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Topline:
A lawsuit has been filed against the city of L.A. alleging that the city’s refusal to follow Measure HLA — an initiative passed by voters last year — is perpetuating unsafe conditions on Vermont Avenue. This is the first legal challenge arising from the initiative.
What does the lawsuit ask for? The lawsuit asks a judge to implement street safety upgrades on Vermont Avenue “completely and promptly” in the areas the city has already repaved, as well as along the portion of the corridor where Metro is installing a rapid bus lane.
Who is behind the lawsuit? Joe Linton is the plaintiff in the lawsuit. He is the editor of the transportation safety-focused Streetsblog LA. Linton is filing the suit as a resident of L.A., not in his capacity as an editor for Streetsblog. He will be stepping away from related coverage for the publication while the lawsuit is ongoing.
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Linton’s research: “In researching my Streetsblog coverage of Measure HLA and the Vermont Transit Corridor project, I became frustrated encountering repeated instances where the city continues to ignore its own plans for a safe and truly multimodal Vermont” Linton, who lives near Vermont Avenue, said in a post on Streetsblog LA.
What Measure HLA supporters say: Streets for All, the group that spearheaded Measure HLA, said Linton is one of the city’s “hardest working” street safety advocates. It is asking “the city to respect the will of the voters, and implement Measure HLA promptly.”
The city's response: LAist has reached out to the offices of the mayor and city attorney for comment.
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